Wed 30-July-08: Tone, Stage 4: Session 63

Tone, Stage 4: Session 63

Target Time 40 minutes

Tip Stretching during your work out while your muscles are warm will be more effective than stretching when you are not warmed up

Warm Up
6 lengths/laps easy swimming
4 lengths/laps building your speed each length
6 x 1 length/lap kicking, 20 seconds after each

Main Set
8 lengths/laps swimming steady pace freestyle, 45 seconds rest
6 lengths/laps swimming faster pace, 30 seconds rest
4 lengths/laps swimming at firm pace, 20 seconds rest
4 x 1 lengths/laps sprint, 20 seconds after each
Take a 2-3 minute stretching break

REPEAT ONCE

Warm Down
6 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke

Total Length 66 lengths/laps (1155m)

Time as RX'd: 34:05

Tues 29-Jul-08: Tone, Stage 4: Session 62

Target Time 40 minutes

Tip Doing gym work, particularly core stability will benefit your swimming

Warm Up
6 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke
2 lengths/laps pulling with pull buoy
6 lengths/laps swimming any stroke
2 lengths/laps kicking with kickboard
6 lengths/laps swimming any stroke

Main Set
6 lengths/laps ALT as 1 length strong legs, 1 length strong pulls, 30 seconds rest
6 lengths/laps as 1 length easy pace, 1 length fast, 30 seconds rest
6 lengths/laps fast paced swimming, 1 minute rest

Repeat the above

Warm Down
4 lengths/laps backstroke
6 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke stretch out to finish

Total Length 68 lengths/laps (1190m)

Time as RX'd: 34:30

WARPED TOUR / Sat 26-Jul-08

A scottish girl made her way backstage and proceeded to attempt to get me to escort her friend also Scottish backstage. Attempting to leave she slags off the band I am with, who I represent, then asks where she can obtain drugs. She explains eloquently that Scottish people like to get fucked up. She said she wanted to get fucked up with me, and make it clear, I said I don't do that shit. Fair? She then tried kissing me. At which point, a manager has security eject her. Funny picture right? Yep. She found me 15 minutes later. Scary. I left the festival.

Warped tour is pretty crap. But I got to see/meet all my bands and I did meet that Scottish girl. Jobsagoodun.

Wed 23-Jul-08: Tone, Stage 4: Session 61

Target Time 40 minutes

Tip Keep your upper body relaxed over your kickboard as you work your legs on the fast kicking

Warm Up
6 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke
6 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke

Main Set
8 lengths/laps swimming any stroke, 30 seconds rest
4 lengths/laps fast kicking with your Streamlined kickboard, 30 seconds rest
6 lengths/laps swimming any stroke, 30 seconds rest
2 lengths/laps fast kicking with your Streamlined kickboard

Technique
14 x 2 lengths your choice of stroke, 10 seconds after each: Freestyle swimmers breath every 3 or 5 strokes to balance your technique

Warm Down
10 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke

Total Length 70 lengths/laps (1225m)

Time as RX'd: 32.33

Tues 22-Jul-08: Tone, Stage 3: Session 60

Target Time 33 minutes

Tip Backstroke is good to do in your warm downs as it uses different muscles and will allow you to stretch out and relax

Warm Up
4 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke
4 lengths/laps front crawl/freestyle
4 lengths/laps backstroke

Main Set
5 x 8 lengths/laps as:
2 pulling with long strokes, 30 seconds rest
2 lengths/laps easy
1 length/lap fast, 30 seconds rest
2 lengths/laps easy
1 lengths/laps fast, 30 seconds rest

Warm Down
4 lengths/laps backstroke
4 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke

Total Length 60 lengths/laps (1050m)

Time as RX'd: 28 minutes

Mon 21-Jul-08: Tone, Stage 3: Session 58

Target Time 29.30 minutes

Warm Up
6 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke
3 lengths/laps Freestyle catch up arms
3 lengths/laps pulling with your pull buoy

Main Set
6 x 6 lengths/laps as 4 lengths/laps steady with good technique, 2 length/lap fast, 20 seconds after each

Technique
4 x 2 lengths/laps pulling with a pull buoy, concentrate on slowing down your arm speed to gain the maximum distance from every stroke

Warm Down 8 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke

Total Length 59 lengths/laps (1032.5m)

Time as RX'd: 29.13

NOR-WHEEEY in summary

Saw Clive Owen and family on the same flight to Olso / Torp. Welcome to Tonsberg the gene pool of Norway. Beautiful location and festival. Ate festival food. Standard. Saw/met loads of locals. Drank over £150 worth of cider from the Kiwi (the local kwikimart). Saw more locals. Ate prawns on bread for breakfast. Mmmm prawns. Saw the fjords from a not very fast speed boat. An English girl said I was all mouth no trousers. Fair enough. We danced to Metal bands and Slagsmalsklubben. Alan Day is a legend. That girl was pretty awesome. Saw a girl fart on a cake (not for real). Bought Salmiakki. Flew home. Life returns to normal. Someone owes me Dim Sum.

4 REST DAYS... get on it.

Wed 16-Jul-08: Tone, Stage 3: Session 55

Tone, Stage 3: Session 55

Target Time 29 minutes

Tip: Make sure your fast pace efforts are controlled pace with long strokes

Warm Up
6 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke
8 lengths/laps alternating 1 length any stroke and 1 length a different stroke

Main Set
8 lengths/laps swimming alternating 1 length/lap moderate, 1 length/lap fast, 1 minute rest
6 lengths/laps steady swimming, concentrate on good technique, 1 minute rest
2x2 lengths/laps fast any stroke, 1 minute rest
6 lengths/laps steady swimming, concentrate on good technique, 1 minute rest
8 lengths/laps fast any stroke

Warm Down
6 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke
4 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke

Total Length 56 lengths (980m)

Time as RX'd: 23:52

Crossfit London!

Been emailing Andrew Stemler and I'm now going to join the Sunday heavy lifting sessions when I can lift!

WAHEY!

Tuesday 15 July - Tone, Stage 3: Session 54

Tone, Stage 3: Session 54

Target Time 23 minutes

Tip When you are swimming front crawl don't let you hands cross the centre line of your body at any time (eg left arm always stays on left side of body)

Warm Up 6 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke

Main Set
10 lengths/laps swimming steady pace, 45 seconds rest
8 lengths/laps swimming slightly faster pace, 40 seconds rest
6 lengths/laps firm pace any stroke, 30 seconds rest
2 lengths/laps maximum effort any stroke

Technique
6 x 1 length/lap easy technique work - high elbows FREESTYLE

Warm Down
2 lengths/laps moderate pace any stroke
2 lengths/laps using a different stroke
2 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke

Total Length 50 lengths/laps (875m)

As RX'd: 22:03

Monday 14 July - Swim 4 Fitness Tone, Stage 3: Session 53

Tone, Stage 3: Session 53

Target Time 30 minutes

Tip Kicking is tough, stick with it for toned legs!

Warm Up 6 lengths/laps easy swimming 6 lengths/laps faster swimming

Main Set 5 x 6 lengths/laps as 2 lengths/laps swimming any stroke, 2 lengths/laps fast kicking with your kickboard, 30 seconds after each, 2 lengths swimming any stroke

Technique 4 lengths/laps swimming count the number of strokes you take and try to reduce it each length.

Warm Down 6 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke

Total Length 52 lengths/laps (910m)

As RX'd: 25:15

Wednesday 9 July - Swim 4 Fitness: Tone, Stage 3: Session 52

Target Time 35 minutes
Tip: Doing shoulder flexibility exercises will help with your streamlining and stroke length

Warm Up
8 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke
3 lengths/laps using a different stroke to above
3 lengths/laps firm pace swimming any stroke

Main Set
6 x 2 lengths/laps alternating 1 length with long strokes and 1 length your normal stroke, 15s rest
6 x 2 lengths/laps alternating 1 length long strokes and 1 length fast try to keep long strokes, 20s
Kicking 6 x 1 lengths/laps kicking with a Streamlined kickboard, 30s

Warm Down
6 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke

Total Length 50 lengths/laps (875m)

As Rx'd: 27:04 (smashed the target time again!)

Tuesday 8 July - Swim 4 Fitness: Tone, Stage 3: Session 51

Warm Up
6 lengths/laps moderate swimming any stroke
6 lengths/laps swimming, get faster each length
6 x 1 lengths/laps kicking with kickboard, 20 seconds after each

Main Set
12 lengths/laps steady pace swimming any stroke, 30 seconds rest
12 lengths/laps firm pace swimming any stroke, 45 seconds rest
6 x 1 length sprint with 20 seconds rest after each length

Warm Down
4 lengths/laps easy swimming any stroke
Total Length 52 lengths/laps (910m)

Target time: 25 minutes
Time RX'd: 21'48" FREESTYLE only.
Smashed target time! Too easy. Moving to stage 4.

Thursday 3 July - 1020m swim

60 lengths

Time recorded: 26 minutes (AGAIN)

Really tough today after 13 days off any fitness.